The Gallery: One Day in August
Yes, that’s a baby’s bottle filled with water, and yes, next to it is a toy ambulance.
I’ve posted it because of this week’s Sticky Fingers gallery; we have to take a picture and post it today, Sunday 29th August. We could have posted anything we liked. I chose this as what I really want to post about is raising awareness of 3 moms who are probably about to land in Bangladesh as I type, on the start of an amazing journey.
They are there for a week, in order to help raise awareness of the work being done by Save the Children, for mothers and children. Bangladesh is one of the poorest places in the world, and millions of children suffer and every year because of it. Go and read the blogs of Sian, Josie and Eva, who will be documenting their journey for the week.
So why the hell this picture? I took it because in light of what these three mom bloggers will be doing, these are things that a huge number of us, way too many in fact, take for granted. You give your child water when they’re thirsty. You probably don’t think twice about where it comes from – tap? Mineral water bottle? Filter? It’s all good, right? Yeah sure.
And the ambulance! A nice, though slightly battered toy for kids. Something to play with! And on a grander scale, an ambulance to save someone’s life. Hey, you know how, in the UK we bitch about when an ambulance take ages to arrive? Wouldn’t it suck if one didn’t arrive at all???
Huh.
What would you do if you knew that giving your baby that bottle of water might kill them? You take the chance, give them the water. You can’t just watch them dehydrate, can you? Sadly, it turns out the water was very, very bad. Your child now has chronic diarrhoea. And is dying from it.
So now what do you do? What would you do if you were watching your child die, and you knew that it was a considerable hike to the nearest hospital for help; no ambulances, no transport, you have to carry your child.
It’s a tough decision; you have to assume you’re going to make it…but your child may not.
Millions of parents do this, and not just in Bangladesh, and it happens every single day. I’ve written this blog post. I tweet #Blogladesh on twitter. I carry the badge in my sidebar. I’ve pressed for change. I’m raising awareness, just in the hope that I can make a difference.
Are you?
This post was written for The Gallery over at Sticky Fingers.
Fantastic picture to go with some amazing words x
Thanks hon
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Great photograph symbolising hard truths. Excellent stuff.
THANK YOU, hard truths indeed.
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Thanks lovely. That is a fab post. xx
You are so very welcome my dear.
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fab, lovely words and spot on xxxxx
Thank you so much
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So very true. Great entry x
Thank you!
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So, so true. And yes, we do take those things for granted in the UK. It would be nice if people could spare a moment to consider this instead of complaining about how long they have to wait in A&E, or that their Doctor is 'crap'. Well folks, at least we have access to these facilities……..
YES. Nodding away in full agreement. We all complain at some point, yes, but we sure as hell do take the small things for granted here.
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*nods vigorously* Well said Jay and well said Nudie. We take so much for granted and we moan about so much…we are lucky and that is NOT a god given right. Blogadesh is a fantastic idea and if it makes people stop, think and hold out a hand to help that, my friend, is bloody marvellous. x
I said this on Josie's blog, but when I teach kids about Victorian Britain with the low life expectancy and kids dieing from cholera due to dirty water – then tell them that people in other parts of the world still die from these diseases, they are shocked and can't understand how this can be. They have a point.
this is a great idea and photo xx
Fantastic post, you are so right, we take too many things for granted!
We do have to think how lucky we are don't we…we can so easily not think about all those millions of children because it's painful but we should. Lovely post…thanks. x
great work lady. we need to stop and remember how lucky we are every now and then.
you know those days where it takes just one thing to tip you over the edge? Yup, right here… *wipes away tears* xx